Animation Magazine

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  • Wonder Woman: Joanna Quinn on Her Brilliant ‘Affairs of the Art,’ Life & Career

    Wonder Woman: Joanna Quinn on Her Brilliant ‘Affairs of the Art,’ Life & Career

    ***This article originally appeared in the June/July ’21 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 311)***

    If you’ve been following the world of indie animation over the past few decades, chances are you have fallen in love with the work of Joanna Quinn. The British animator and director introduced her wonderful and relatable everywoman character Beryl in the 1987 short Girls Night Out, which took home three prizes at Annecy. Her 1996 short Famous Fred and 1998’s Wife of Bath were both nominated for Oscars, and her 2006 short Dreams and Desires: Family Ties was the winner of the grand prize at Zagreb’s Animafest. General audiences will also know her for her acclaimed hand-drawn animated ads for Charmin, Whiskas and United Airlines.

    This year, her latest animated short Affairs of the Art, which was made with her partner and husband, writer Les Mills, catches up with the wonderful, eccentric and hilarious character Beryl. Quinn was kind enough to chat with us since her NFB (National Film Board of Canada) produced short is also featured at Annecy this month:

    Joanna Quinn [Photo: M. Rojas]
    Joanna Quinn [Photo: M. Rojas]

    Animation Magazine: It’s so good to catch up with Beryl and her family again in your new short! How long did it take you to make this latest chapter in her life?

    Joanna Quinn: Well … Les [Mills] wrote the script way back in 2010, the storyboard was finished in 2015, and I began seriously animating in 2016, so the actual production took about six years. Waaaaay too long, and very glad to be on the other side now!

    What do you love about Beryl and her family?

    We love Beryl because she is a joy to animate and a great character to write for. It’s fun to subvert the audience’s expectations of an ordinary middle-aged woman. Les and I are great observers of people and love to create characters that are multifaceted and unusual. We’ve made three films with Beryl as the main protagonist, so in Affairs of the Art we wanted to explore other characters. Enter her family: Ifor, Beryl’s husband and muse … mostly naked; her ambitious sister, Beverly, who’s fascinated by death — and the complete opposite of Beryl; geeky son Colin, obsessed with technical details like railway signalling systems and screw threads. Beryl actually has the least screen time in this film, but by showing her family we get a deeper understanding of her character and relationships.

    Affairs of the Art
    Affairs of the Art

    What are the pluses and minuses of living and working with your writer/producer?

    The pluses are we never have to go to work and can make plans lounging on the sofa with cups of tea, but the minuses are that we never stop talking about work. It drove our daughter out of the house at age 17, and she vowed never to have anything to do with animation! She became a vet.

    What kind of budget did you have? Was it a lot more than your previous short?

    The budget for Affairs was around £24,000 ($33,340) per minute, which was similar to our previous film, Dreams and Desires: Family Ties.

    Affairs of the Art
    Affairs of the Art

    How did you like working in digital 2D?

    Affairs of the Art is actually animated on paper and colored in TVPaint. I originally animated for six months on my Cintiq, but I realized I wasn’t enjoying animating digitally and my animation became quite stiff. I loved exploring the TVP software and it’s great for coloring, but I found it hard to replicate the fluidity of animating on paper. I think it’s because I’m very intuitive when I animate and I get lost in the mark making and enjoy making mistakes, which might take me in different directions. I’m also very physical when I animate and use my fingers to smudge and soften the pencil marks, which is just impossible on the Cintiq. Anyway, I reluctantly shoved my Cintiq to one side and set up my dusty lightbox again and did a Google search for “world’s last supplies of animation paper!”

    When did you first realize you wanted to work in animation?

    It was in the first year of my graphic design course at Middlesex University. We were given a short animation project and the first thing I animated was a dog walking. I filmed it on a video line tester, then pressed play — I remember being utterly stunned that it actually worked. I watched it over and over, mesmerized by the fact it had come to life. It also made people chuckle, which was a revelation, too. That was when I decided that I wanted to animate and make films that would make people laugh.

    Affairs of the Art
    Affairs of the Art

    Who are your animation idols?

    I am such an animation nerd that I love and admire many animators. Somebody who has a special place in my heart, though, is the exceptionally talented Michaela Pavlâtovâ. We are the same age, and her first film, Etuda Z Alba, came out the same year as my first film, Girls Night Out (1987). Our various films were screened at the same festivals over many years, but I always arrived just after she had left, and vice versa. It was not until relatively recently that we finally met and I felt like I’d met my twin separated at birth. Her storytelling, design, color and humor are exceptional, and she will always be my idol.

    My top choice for animation god would have to be, of course, Milt Kahl. I can sit for hours watching his animation on a loop, crying in awe. In fact, I used to visit the other animation god, Richard Williams, at his studio in Bristol, where he had many boxes of Milt Kahl’s photocopied animation. Together we would choose a scene, like Madame Medusa [in The Rescuers] pulling off her false eyelashes, film it and go through it frame by frame, marvelling at Milt’s genius. I treasure those moments with Richard, who died not long after.

    Affairs of the Art
    Affairs of the Art

    What are the animated or live-action movies or TV shows that have stayed with you the longest?

    Short animated films that have stuck with me are Carnival by Susan Young, Two Sisters by Caroline Leaf, Your Face by Bill Plympton, Oh Willy… by Emma De Swaef and Marc James Roels and, more recently, Naked by Kirill Khachaturov — all masterpieces.

    What do you think about the state of animation today, especially the fact that there seem to be more opportunities for women today than, say, 20 years ago?

    The animated shorts genre has always attracted women, so I don’t think it has changed that much, but I certainly feel there is a space now for films which are more diverse and radical. The one positive thing I have noticed recently is the long overdue change in the representation of women on juries and panels at many film festivals (not all, of course). This absolutely makes a difference to the way women working in animation see themselves in the industry.

    The more visible women and minorities are in positions of power, the more inclusive it feels. Things are changing (very) slowly, but we need to constantly remind the white men in power about unconscious bias and how to embrace change.

    Affairs of the Art
    Affairs of the Art

    What’s the best advice anyone gave you about pursuing animation as a career?

    Have a goal in mind and make it happen. Take risks and make big decisions as soon as you can, before you get burdened with the responsibilities of life. Ask for help and advice; most people in animation are encouraging and want to give a helping hand. Top tip: Always send a follow-up email if your first one doesn’t get an answer. It’s probably not rejection, just a busy person.

    What is the funniest or most memorable reaction you ever received for your shorts?

    I once took my grandmother to a screening of my film Girls Night Out. It was supporting a live-action feature, and my grandma sat diligently through the films, clutching her handbag on her knee. During the Q&A, she was waving at me from her seat, telling everyone around her that she was my grandma. Anyway, on the way home I asked her what she thought of my film. She then proceeded to tell me how fantastic she thought the live-action film was, but hated the rude cartoon that was screened with it. I took full credit for the live-action film and changed the subject.

    Affairs of the Heart is part of Annecy’s Official Selection this year. You can find out more about Joanna Quinn at berylproductions.co.uk.

  • PBS KIDS Slates New Specials for ‘Molly of Denali,’ ‘Wild Kratts’

    PBS KIDS Slates New Specials for ‘Molly of Denali,’ ‘Wild Kratts’

    PBS KIDS will celebrate summer – and the great outdoors – with brand-new one-hour specials from two fan-favorite series arriving in the next two months. From saving wild cats and dogs on the African savannah with Wild Kratts to trekking to the top of Denali in an action-packed new Molly of Denali adventure, these fun-filled and learning-packed specials will let kids and families discover new places, learn about the natural world, and meet new friends along the way.

    The specials are part of a flurry of activities, resources and content from PBS KIDS and PBS LearningMedia designed to encourage children to play and learn in their own way during the break, offering new possibilities to youngsters, educators and caregivers after a year of remote learning.

    “After a year unlike any other, we recognize that parents and kids are eager to celebrate the potential for learning and fun that each summer day brings,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. “Through PBS’ wealth of flexible, grab-and-go resources, families can approach the upcoming summer months in any way they choose, chasing kids’ curiosities and seeking out new discoveries from the living room to the park, and beyond.”

    Molly of Denali: Molly and the Great One – Premieres June 7 (check local listings) Molly learns about her Grandpa Nat’s dream to climb to the top of Denali – North America’s highest mountain – in honor of the first person to do so, real-life Alaska Native, Walter Harper. Inspired, Molly tries to persuade Grandpa and her dad, a wilderness guide, to make the climb. They agree, but tell Molly she’s too young to make the treacherous journey to the top. Never one to give up, Molly convinces them to let her and Tooey join them on their trek to basecamp and track the climber’s journey.

    Meanwhile, Trini is busy preparing for another big event: her mom Joy is on leave from the Army and visiting Qyah for the first time! On the eve of the expedition, an unexpected guest shows up – celebrity outdoorsman Mac McFadden, who’s also intent on summiting Denali. By foot and dogsled, they make it to basecamp and learn more about Walter Harper’s trailblazing expedition. But the trip turns perilous when Mac decides to head out on his own during a storm. Trini’s mom, a helicopter pilot, makes a daring rescue, but is it too late for Grandpa to fulfill his dream?

    Wild Kratts: Cats and Dogs – Premieres July 12 (check local listings) While “creature adventuring” on the African savannah, Chris and Martin observe lots of wild cats and dogs interacting with each other. Soon, Wild Kratts kids are calling in from all over the world to ask about wild cats and dogs and whether they’re like their own pets. Zach, who has been secretly listening to all the kids’ questions, comes up with a diabolical scheme to capture and sell these creatures as “special” pets. The bros, Aviva, Koki and Jimmy race to save the wild animals and help ensure they can continue “living free and in the wild.”

    In addition to the new specials airing on PBS local stations, families can tune in to PBS KIDS Family Night on the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel every weekend starting June 4 for themed programming — including nature, space, family traditions, arts, friends and neighbors, water, animals, storytelling and routines. Each of these 10 themes was selected to support key learning areas identified by educators and experts and curated to provide flexible play and learn opportunities, while corresponding with supplemental resources and games that will be sent weekly through the PBS KIDS for Parents newsletter.

    And, PBS KIDS will encourage families to play their way all summer long with activities and resources on PBS KIDS for Parents (www.pbs.org/parents/summer) – from a summer activity book featuring scavenger hunts to a summer checklist. Kids can also find curated game collections on pbskids.org and video playlists on the PBS KIDS Video app and the PBS KIDS YouTube channel.

    PBS KIDS Read-Alongs, which have featured PBS KIDS friends like the Kratt Brothers and special guest readers including Michelle Obama, Christian Robinson, Kristen Bell, Jenna Bush Hager and many others, will continue this summer on PBS KIDS’ Facebook and YouTube.

    Plus, for the many educators continuing to teach, preparing for the coming school year, or seeking professional learning opportunities over the summer, PBS LearningMedia (pbslearningmedia.org) provides updated collections.

  • Hoho Appoints Shah Nawaz Digital Content Manager, Launches New Channel

    Hoho Entertainment, the award-winning kids’ production company, is progressing its digital expansion with the appointment of Shah Nawaz as Digital Content Manager, a newly created position after taking its digital programming in-house, along with the launch of a new Spanish YouTube channel, Cielitos, for its flagship Cloudbabies series.

    Passionate about delivering compelling digital experiences, Nawaz has worked in the digital media industry for 12 years, including more than seven years at the BBC where he oversaw and advised on its social media video strategy with in-house teams and independent companies. While there, he was responsible for growing the main BBC YouTube channel from 100,000 subscribers to 7 million and reaching 7 billion views. He launched the Strictly Come Dancing, The Voice UK and BBC Three YouTube channels and also project-managed over 300 live shows for online video and social media production, including the BAFTAs, Eurovision, Children in Need, Red Nose Day, Strictly Come Dancing, The Voice UK, the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony and Royal weddings.

    Nawaz will optimize Hoho’s current YouTube channels and explore brand possibilities with other digital platforms. He will work across all the company’s brands with a focus on growing the global Cloudbabies universe in multiple languages. Hoho recently launched new Spanish language channel Cielitos with support from YouTube Kids, and are keen to expand into other territories in the near future.

    “This is an exciting time for us as we continue to develop digitally and we are delighted to welcome Shah to the Hoho team,” said Helen Howells, Joint MD of Hoho Ent. “His appointment forms part of our long-term strategy to expand our digital footprint, with an eye to moving into e-commerce in the near future. Shah’s immense experience, knowledge, insight and flair will play a key part in helping us to grow and achieve our objectives.”

    Nawaz said, “Hoho is a great company with some really wonderful content and I am excited to be embarking on this journey with them to help maximise their brands and their digital strategy.”

  • Lisa Hanawalt Gives Us a Bird’s-Eye View of ‘Tuca & Bertie’ S2

    Lisa Hanawalt Gives Us a Bird’s-Eye View of ‘Tuca & Bertie’ S2

    Fans of Lisa Hanawalt‘s acclaimed animated series Tuca & Bertie were delighted when Adult Swim picked up the show after it was inexplicably dropped by Netflix after its first season. The show, which takes a charming look at the friendship between two 30something friends/birds (voiced by Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong), will join the Adult Swim lineup on June 13. The 10-episode second season will see Bertie trying to excavate her “inner ghouls” with the help of a therapist, while Tuca “prefers to stuff hers behind the toilet” and Speckle (Steven Yeun) tries to keep his sanity while building a new house. We had the chance to catch up with the hugely gifted and always charming Hanawalt during a recent phone interview:

    Animag: So, first of all, congrats on the return of your amazing show. Tell us what was going on in your mind as you went through the ups and downs of creating an acclaimed series and then seeing it cancelled and then revived in such a short period?

    Lisa Hanawalt: It’s funny. I still don’t fully believe that the show is coming back and that the good news is real. We found out about Adult Swim picking it up a year ago. We got together with our writer’s room and started to piece together the season. I already had some ideas about what we were going to do if we had this opportunity, so we really hit the ground running. We all expected the show to continue on Netflix, so I think it was definitely surprising. I did not expect that decision. But things like that happen a lot in this industry due to forces outside your control [laughs].

    I wish I could tell you what they were thinking. I will say it was really nice to see people speaking up online about how much they loved the show. That was very cathartic to me to hear. That drum beat of people saying they wanted the show to be saved really helped. I am so thankful to our fans. I think we’ll also get a lot of new fans this time around as well.

    Tuca & Bertie
    Tuca & Bertie

    What is your writing staff like for this second season?

    Including me, we have about six writers on the show this season. We have Shauna McGarry and Gonzalo Cordova back from the first season, and me and Raphael [Bob-Waksberg]. Then, there’s Samantha Irby, who is a fantastic author, and Chikodili Agwuna, who co-wrote an episode. It’s a pretty small room because we did our writers’ room via Zoom, and it was a pretty intimate group.

    Is anything different about the new season now that it’s on Adult Swim?

    There’s nothing really different. Fans of the show will be really pleased about how it really continues what they like about the first season. The characters continue their stories and we also have some new stories. People who are coming to the show fresh will feel like it’s a good introduction to the world of Tuca & Bertie as well. It’s really nice to be at Adult Swim because they really understand animation and the whole process. I think we had a lot of trust, and they had seen the first season and had liked it and knew exactly what they were getting and they wanted it. It felt like a great creative partnership between us.

    Is ShadowMachine still producing the animation?

    Yes, ShadowMachine is still doing it. We have a lot of the same animators and much of the same team the first season. Our supervising director is Aaron Long, who worked on the first season as well. He did our opening credits which everyone knows and loves. The show is still art directed by Alison Dubois — a really talented group of people. Big Star does the animation production in South Korea.

    Can you give us a sneak peek of the second season?

    Let’s see … What are our girls up to? Tuca is trying to find love. She is ready for a relationship and she’s looking — whether she’ll find it or not, we’ll have to see. Bertie is going to therapy for the first time and that is unearthing all these other issues that she’s trying to confront. There’s so much that happens this season. They go on some crazy adventures.

    Was working on the second season of the show easier in terms of coming up with story ideas?

    I always worry that I run out of ideas, and then I never do. What happens is that I actually don’t have enough room within a season to do all the stuff that I thought of. I had this whole entire thing that I wanted to do with Bertie that I didn’t have enough time to get to this season, so maybe next time. It didn’t feel difficult. Sometimes I feel these characters write themselves, in a way.

    Tuca & Bertie
    Tuca & Bertie

    What was the toughest part of working on Season 2?

    What was it? Physically, there were some days that I felt really depressed about the pandemic, like everyone else. It was a little bit hard to get myself out of a funk and work and be creative. Writing an episode can be very difficult. I know I said earlier that the characters write themselves, but they don’t. They don’t actually. I know what they would do in any given situation, but actually writing the lines and making sure everything flows and the story tracks as a story is so much work. It was difficult to work through everything that was happening, as much as I was so grateful to have that work.

    Which episode generated the most response from fans the first season?

    I think episode nine [the episode in which we learn about Bertie’s sexual assault when she was younger] was definitely the heavy hitter. It brought up a lot of things for many people. It was a very challenging one to work on because I wanted to be very sensitive to how the audience would feel watching it. I feel very sad when I watch it, but also feel uplifted in the end. So, it was very personal to a lot of the people who worked on it. I appreciate that we had an opportunity to make something like that. People had some emotional reaction to it. I also love it when people tell me they just started going to therapy for the first time because of our show! I hope they found a good shrink and that it goes well for them. But it’s nice that people relate to these characters on that level.

    Can you give us the scoop on the new season’s guest voices?

    We have a bunch of exciting voices, and I’m not sure if I’m allowed to reveal them all at this point. I can tell you that Pamela Adlon pays a therapist, and she’s amazing. I have been a huge fan of hers for years. We are going to meet some of both Tuca’s and Bertie’s families, so we have some great voices there. Every episode has some fantastic actors.

    Tell us about your year of working through a pandemic.

    We did everything remotely and it went surprisingly well. It went very smoothly because we all know each other for the most part. I felt guilty for a moment for making people work during a pandemic, especially when we were also having those wildfires [in California]. It felt nuts that we were also working during a time when the world was burning. But I know I was grateful to have a distraction. It was nice to see people’s faces on Zoom every day and process what was happening and the focus on the silly bird show which kind of cheered us up. It was crazy but it worked.

    What did you learn from the first season that you were able to use in the second season?

    Sometimes during the first season I didn’t know what I wanted tonally. I knew that I generally wanted it to be an uplifting show. Like the second episode of the first series ends on a sad note: Bertie is burned out working. She got what she wanted, but she’s still sad. And there was a little bit of a question whether that was the right tone. And now I feel a lot more comfortable having some sad parts of the show mixed in with how silly it is. Trusting myself to know what the balance is feels good. It’s more about confidence, too — i.e., I liked what I did the first season, so let’s lean into that.

    Lisa Hanawalt [Photo Credit: Kim Newmoney]
    Lisa Hanawalt [Photo Credit: Kim Newmoney]

    Do you think that it was ironic that your show ended up on Adult Swim, which used to have this bad rep for being totally white male-dominated? But I guess things have changed drastically there, too.

    I do think about how I am making a show at just the right moment in history where some doors opened finally to non-white male creators … and I just hope that those doors stay open and it’s not just a phase, and our stories are seen as creative and vital as those created by white men — who have created many wonderful things, but there are different audiences out there. Sometimes I hear back from people who say, “Wow, I didn’t even know that I liked adult animation and thought it wasn’t for me. Then, I saw your show and it really clicked with me.” That’s very important to me.

    Which animated shows were you watching when you were growing up that had a big impact on you?

    I was really into The Simpsons and Ren & Stimpy. I loved Disney movies, especially The Lion King. I also watched Liquid Television on MTV. I loved Daria. That show was so good. I started drawing comics when I was seven. I would read the Sunday funnies. I didn’t know I wanted to get into TV at all until my friend Raphael [Bob-Waksberg[ asked me to work on his show BoJack Horseman. After years of working on BoJack, when he asked me if I wanted to have my own show, at that point I was ready to have my own ideas for my own show. It just went from there. It was kind of a serendipitous thing.

    What do you hope audiences will take away from the new season of Tuca & Bertie?

    I hope audiences will think it’s fun. They will want to continue to hang with these characters. There are some interesting things there about relationships, trying to fix yourself when you are having emotional problems, there is some sort of societal comment that you can pick up on. But that’s not a directive really. It’s just whatever books I’ve been reading or thoughts that have been tumbling around in my head, I tend to put in the show. I flip back and forth between fiction and nonfiction. For example, I read this book called Evicted by Matthew Desmond that really stuck with me.

    What’s the advice you usually offer creative people who want to get into animation?

    It’s corny, but I tell them to focus on what you want to see and then go make that. If you could watch any show in the world, what would it look like and what would it be about? And I think creating those characters is the fun part, but you also need to focus on what kind of stories you want to tell. What are these characters going to do? That’s very important.

    Season 2 of Tuca & Bertie premieres on Adult Swim on June 13 at 11:30 p.m.

  • Animayo Online 2021 Offers Special Access for Animag Readers

    Animayo Online 2021 Offers Special Access for Animag Readers

    As part of a partnership with the 16th Animayo international animation summit, Animation Magazine is pleased to offer our readers a free pass to enjoy the Gran Canaria-based festival (a €35 value!). The Online program of this year’s multi-phase hybrid event is available to enjoy now.

    The free pass includes online access to:

    • 20 Masterclasses by international speakers.
    • Special online screening of short films by Bill Plympton.
    • Latin American film focus, presented in collaboration with Platino Industria and the Instituto Mexicano del Cinematografía.
    • Screening of short films made by La Salle University-Singapore.
    • In Memoriam tribute to Ángel Izquierdo.
    • Recruitments.
    • Talent Scholarships.
    • Exhibitions.

    Animag‘s subscribers also receive a 50% discount to the limited-capacity Workshops; tickets are available online.

    The full program for Animayo 2021 can be found on the event’s website here.

    How to request your free pass:

    To reserve your Online Pass to Animayo 2021, email abonos@animayo.com with the subject line “Booking sponsored pass Animation Magazine” and include the following information:

    Full name –
    Date of birth –
    Phone number –
    Confirmation you are applying as an Animation Magazine reader/subscriber.

    Questions about the event or Pass requests can be sent to animayo@animayo.com.

    www.animayo.com | @festivalanimayo/@animayofestival

  • LALIFF & LatinX in Animation Reveal Shorts Program Presented by Cartoon Cartoons

    LALIFF & LatinX in Animation Reveal Shorts Program Presented by Cartoon Cartoons

    As previously announced by The Latino Film Institute, the 20th Edition of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), will welcome its first-ever Animation Day on Friday, June 4. This unique industry day has a packed line-up of exclusive premieres, panel discussions, an animated shorts contest, and master classes. Organizing the event is one of Latino Film Institute’s signature programs, LatinX in Animation (LXiA).

    Representing the animation community, LXiA is pleased to bring forth LALIFF’s first-ever Animated Shorts Program. The program will be presented by Cartoon Cartoons, Cartoon Network Studios’ recently announced animated shorts content initiative. In keeping with LALIFF’s international lens, the program will feature the works of directors across Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    The Animated Shorts jury brings Manny Hernandez, Executive Producer for the upcoming Cartoon Network Studios series We Baby Bears (one of Animation Magazine‘s Rising Stars of 2021), Doreen Spicer-Dannelly, Executive Producer and CEO of Spicerack Productions, Inc., and Carlos Zaragoza, the Production Designer for Sony Pictures Animation’s original animated musical Vivo. The selected all-around best animated short will be awarded a one-year subscription to Storyboard Pro presented by Toon Boom.

    Animated shorts featured will include:

    • The Libertarian – Directed by Eugenio Gómez Borrero, from Valle del Cauca, Colombia | In the midst of fireflies and mangroves, the musician Papámarimba narrates the legend of “The Libertarian,” a haunting story about a ghost ship, a slave rebellion, and the eternal struggle for freedom. But his son, Canchimalo, no longer believes in these stories. He thinks they are just superstitions. A challenge that will bring him face-to-face with the spirits of his ancestors.
    • GNT – Directed by Sara Hirner and Rosemary Vasquez-Brown, from New South Wales, Australia | Glenn is a woman on an unwholesome mission, but just how far will she go to conquer the clique – and social media – at large? In an antagonistic codependency, her friends, Nikki and Tammy, will always be there to take Glenn down a peg. Afterall, even Beyoncé needed Destiny’s Child.
    • Beats – Directed by Tamara Ajzensztat from Buenos Aires, Argentina | Olivia is a pianist who one day finds a stethoscope on her piano, and while her cat takes a stroll on the keys, decides to listen to its heartbeat. In that moment she has an epiphany: to search for hearts and create melodies with the beats they produce. This story speaks about that moment prior to artistic creation, that moment when we turn to someone else to find something that actually lies within us.
    • Malinchista – Directed by Flora Rees-Arredondo, from California, U.S. | When Mari, a mixed Mexican high school girl, goes on a field trip to the Museo de Antropología, she learns the story of La Malinche. It’s through La Malinche that Mari finds her voice. But is that enough to stop racist bullies?
    • Nuevo Rico – Directed by Kristian Mercado Figueroa, from Puerto Rico, U.S. | A brother and sister stumble upon a celestial secret that changes their lives forever and propels them to Reggaetón stardom, but they soon discover that their newfound fame comes at a steep price.
    • Our Perpetual Now – Directed by Jorge Aguilar Rojo, from Mexico City, Mexico / Greater London, U.K. | A man edits one last conversation from his memories in order to say goodbye to the woman he loved.
    • Revolykus – Directed by Victor Orozco Ramirez, from Hamburg, Germany | Several years ago Victor immigrated to Germany. There he lives in a small, old house which badly needs renovation. The modernizations theoretically should protect him from wind, rain and cold. Theoretically.
    • Roach – Directed by Agustín Touriño, from Cordoba, Argentina | Gregorio has a monotonous life, going back and forth from the factory where he works to his apartment, where he lives alone. One day he finds a cockroach in his cupboard and, instead of killing it, he decides to adopt it. This will change Gregorio’s life completely.

    LALIFF will take place from Tuesday, June 2 to Sunday, June 6, during which attendees will be able to access the full Animated Shorts Program. Judges’ decisions will be released Sunday, June 6. For the LALIFF full programming slate and schedule please visit www.laliff.org.Tickets are now on sale and will be available to purchase through the festival’s site here.

    Additional animation-focused events at LALIFF include a series of streamed Cafecitos (coffee chats) with industry professionals, Masterclasses, artist portfolio reviews and the live premiere Crypt TV’s episodic horror for Facebook Watch Woman in the Book. While Cafecitos are free to the public, tickets for Woman in the Book’s live premiere with Q&A can be purchased here.

    Learn more about LatinX in Animation at https://latinofilm.org/programs/lxia.

  • Genius Brands’ Kartoon Channel! Grows with 240+ Hours of Content

    Genius Brands’ Kartoon Channel! Grows with 240+ Hours of Content

    Following the successful premiere of Stan Lee’s Super Hero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel!, Genius Brands International, Inc. continues to grow its content offering with the acquisition of proven hit series from award winning third party producers WildBrain, ABC Australia and Nelvana.

    Jon Ollwerther, recently promoted President of Kartoon Channel! & EVP of Business Development of Genius Brands, commented: “We are continuing to grow Kartoon Channel! each month, with more and more viewers enjoying what we believe is the very best combination of original, exclusive, and acquired content in the kid’s entertainment industry, including our hit Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. With Lou Fazio, former Executive Director of Programming & Acquisitions at Disney Channel, leading the charge, we are excited about our content pipeline, including 240 hours of newly acquired content from partners, including WildBrain, ABC Australia and Nelvana, which will begin to premier on Kartoon Channel! in June.”

    Since launching in June 2020, Kartoon Channel!, which is now widely available and fully distributed in the U.S. across all platforms, has significantly expanded its catalog of original and third-party programming. On April 23, Genius Brands launched its first Kartoon Channel! original, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, which has since garnered over 22 million views, making it one of the fastest-growing children’s series today.

    The new content acquisitions for Kartoon Channel! include classic evergreen and new popular series and feature films. From WildBrain, Genius Brands has licensed the rights to Super Mario Bros. (13 x 30′), Adventures of Paddington Bear (13 x 30′), Trollz (27 x 30′), Madeline (13 x 30′) and Liberty’s Kids (40 x 30′).

    From Nelvana, movies and series acquired for Kartoon Channel! include Donkey Kong Country (39 x 22′), movie specials from the Franklin franchise, including Franklin and the Green Knight, Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure, A Franklin and Friends Adventure: Polar Explorer, A Franklin and Friends Adventure: Deep Sea Voyage, Franklin Back to School and Franklin’s Magic Christmas; and lastly, The Santa Clause Brothers movie special.

    ABC Australia has licensed to Kartoon Channel! the rights to The Wiggles World (26 x 11′); and Wiggle Pop special (75 mins.), among others.

    www.kartoonchannel.com

  • BRON & Lion Forge Introduce the World of ‘Heiress’ with Animated Series

    BRON & Lion Forge Introduce the World of ‘Heiress’ with Animated Series

    Lion Forge Animation (Hair Love) and BRON Digital announced today that they have joined forces to introduce and produce the children’s animated series, accompanying interactive games and online community for Heiress.

    Conceptualized by Lion Forge Animation, Heiress is a universal story centered around young Princess Reign, who is determined to find her way out of the shadows of her brothers, forcing her father and King to see her light.

    Executive producers are David Steward II, Carl Reed and Matt Heath for Lion Forge Animation, and Brenda Gilbert and Aaron L. Gilbert for BRON Digital. Jason Chen will produce on behalf of BRON.

    Working in concert with BRON Digital’s Virtual Production infrastructure and utilizing the Unreal Engine developed by Epic Games, the Heiress team will not only be producing visually stunning content but will also have the technological ability to create audience-driven, interactive games and immersive virtual worlds. This open world creation enables a richer, more expansive experience for audiences to explore aspects of different worlds and interact with their favorite characters.

    Steward, Lion Forge Animation founder, said, “Heiress is a world unto itself and perfectly exemplifies the material we choose to introduce to audiences globally. Content can be wildly immersive and entertaining while reflecting diverse faces, voices, and experiences. With truly collaborative partners in Brenda, Aaron and Jason at BRON, we have a dream team assembled to bring to life what we have created.”

    “BRON is committed to representation both in front of and behind the camera, and to building partnerships with diverse-owned studios,” said BRON’s Gilbert and Chen in a joint statement. “It is important that we celebrate the art of animation and diverse cultures from around the world.”

    Heiress marks the first collaboration between BRON and Lion Forge Animation. Lion Forge Animation, one of the only Black-owned animation studios in the world, won last year’s Best Animated Short Oscar for Hair Love, soon to receive a spinoff series, Young Love, from HBO Max, and has secured a number of major partnership deals with Imagine Kids+Family, Starlight Media, and the family of the groundbreaking NASCAR driver, Wendell Scott.

    Lion Forge Animation is represented by Andrew Kramer at Loeb & Loeb.

    www.lionforgeanimation.com | www.bronstudios.com

  • Robin & Co. Cheer on the Tunes in ‘Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam’ Original Movie

    Robin & Co. Cheer on the Tunes in ‘Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam’ Original Movie

    The Teen Titans are planning a slam dunk Father’s Day weekend with the premiere of Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam, an 80-minute original movie that follows the DC Super Heroes as they watch and offer hilarious commentary on the classic 1996 live-action/animated sports comedy film Space Jam, starring basketball legend Michael Jordan, Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes.

    The movie will premiere Sunday, June 20 at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network ahead of its digital release from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on July 27.

    In Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam, the Teen Titans are visited by the Nerdlucks, the iconic Space Jam villains who tried to capture Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes. Astonished to discover his fellow Titans have never seen Space Jam, Cyborg organizes an exclusive watch party. Of course, if the Titans are watching a movie, don’t expect silence to be golden. Raven and Starfire provide the commentary, Cyborg presents the fun facts, Beast Boy points out the butt shots, and Robin … well, Robin doesn’t trust their new alien friends. Are the Nerdlucks here to attend an innocent watch party, or do they have more sinister motives up their sleeves?

    Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam is one of several exciting programming beats coming up for the hit series on Cartoon Network. Also visiting the Titans will be New Teen Titans creative team Marv Wolfman and George Pérez when they appear as guest stars in a special episode airing May 29. The Titans also team up with the DC Super Hero Girls for the very first time in the one-hour “Space House” crossover special premiering on May 31.

    Following its linear airing, fans can watch Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam on the Cartoon Network app and VOD. The movie will also be available to purchase on digital starting July 27, 2021 for $14.99 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

    Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam
    Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam
  • Academy & ABC Set New Date for 94th Oscars

    Academy & ABC Set New Date for 94th Oscars

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC today announced the 94th Oscars ceremony will move to Sunday, March 27, 2022. The show, which will air live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, was originally scheduled for February 27, 2022.

    The eligibility period for Academy Awards consideration will return to the standard December 31 deadline: a feature film must have a qualifying release date between March 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. This year, which is still impacted by the pandemic, eligibility requirements for the 94th Academy Awards will be consistent with the addendums made for the 93rd Awards season (scroll down to read more). Complete 94th Awards rules and specialty category submission deadlines will be announced in June. Following this year, the Academy intends to expand the qualifying requirements for the 95th Awards.

    Academy key dates for the 2021 Oscar season are as follows:

    • General entry categories submission deadline: Monday, November 15, 2021
    • Preliminary voting begins 9 a.m. PT: Friday, December 10, 2021
    • Preliminary voting ends 5 p.m. PT: Wednesday, December 15, 2021
    • Oscar Shortlists Announcement: Tuesday, December 21, 2021
    • Eligibility period ends: Friday, December 31, 2021
    • Governors Awards: Saturday, January 15, 2022
    • Nominations voting begins 9 a.m. PT: Thursday, January 27, 2022
    • Nominations voting ends 5 p.m. PT: Tuesday, February 1, 2022
    • Oscar Nominations Announcement: Tuesday, February 8, 2022
    • Oscar Nominees Luncheon: Monday, March 7, 2022
    • Finals voting begins 9 a.m. PT: Thursday, March 17, 2022
    • Finals voting ends 5 p.m. PT: Tuesday, March 22, 2022
    • 94th Oscars: Sunday, March 27, 2022

    All dates for the 94th Academy Awards are subject to change.

    With the gradual re-opening of theaters, there are two methods of qualification for awards consideration in Best Picture and general entry categories for the 94th Academy Awards:

    1) Films which are intended for theatrical release, but are initially made available through commercial streaming, VOD service or other broadcast may qualify under these provisions:

    • That the film be made available on the secure Academy Screening Room member site within 60 days of the film’s streaming/VOD release or broadcast;
    • That it meets all other eligibility requirements

    OR

    2) Films that open in theaters in at least one of the six qualifying U.S. cities, depending on theater availability, may qualify under these provisions:

    • That the film completes a qualifying run of at least seven consecutive days in the same commercial venue, during which period screenings must occur at least three times daily, with at least one screening beginning between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily
    • That it meets all other eligibility requirements
    • Six qualifying U.S. cities include: Los Angeles County; City of New York [Five Boroughs]; the Bay Area [counties of San Francisco, Marin, Alameda, San Mateo and Contra Costa]; Chicago [Cook County, Illinois]; Miami [Miami-Dade County, Florida]; and Atlanta [Fulton County, Georgia].
    • Drive-in theaters are included as a qualifying commercial venue in the above cities (must run for seven consecutive days with at least one screening daily)
    • Academy Screening Room would be optional

    The 94th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide. www.oscars.org.

  • Annecy Unveils Studio Spotlights, Demos, MIFA Partner Conferences

    Annecy Unveils Studio Spotlights, Demos, MIFA Partner Conferences

    More details of the inspirational, innovating and enlightening programming awaiting attendees of this year’s hybrid Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Market (June 14-19) have been announced, including the studio focus section, MIFA Partners plans’ and experimental technological and creative demonstrations. These (and much more) are complemented by the Women in Animation World Summit 2021 on Monday, June 14.

    Thirteen virtual Studio Focus installments will punctuate the week with announcements and tributes. Notably among them, Netflix will be present with four sessions whose surprises and exclusives will take pride of place. Starting Monday, Netflix Kids & Family will give a sneak peek at their future family series and feature films, then it’ll be Netflix Adult Animation‘s turn to discuss two projects with an all-star cast. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Netflix Anime and Chris Nee will bring together some of today’s most prominent artists to discuss projects that are still some of the best kept secrets…

    L-R: Chris Nee, Kirk DeMicco, Clare Knight, Guillermo Del Toro
    L-R: Chris Nee, Kirk DeMicco, Clare Knight, Guillermo Del Toro

    Also on Tuesday, DreamWorks Television will dive into the world of their next feature film Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans, the final installment of the Tales of Arcadia trilogy. A great opportunity for the artistic team to take another look at this extraordinary universe.

    The end of the week will be dedicated to the Disney group with several presentations including live online Q&As: the team from Locksmith Animation will unveil the latest news on their first feature film Ron’s Gone Wrong, and Pixar Animation Studios will take us backstage on Luca and future 2022 films. Last but not least, Disney EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, Africa) will present their new local projects, and in particular an exclusive extract from the TV series Chip ‘n’ Dale.

    Luca
    Luca

    New studios are also joining in this year:

    • The ONF/NFB (The National Film Board of Canada), on top of doing a Q&A session with male and female directors in competition at Annecy, will unveil an exclusive look at their latest creation.
    • CBS Studios and Paramount+ will host two panel discussions with the creators of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy as well as Stephen Colbert presents Tooning Out the News and new series The Harper House.
    • Tencent will discuss its original family-oriented projects developed with European co-producers.
    • Cinesite will give an exclusive sneak peek at five blockbusters created in partnership with eight leading directors: The Addams Family 2, Extinct, Riverdance: The Animated Adventure, Hitpig and Blazing Samurai.
    • Toei Company, Ltd. will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kamen Rider and the next new arrival Fuuto PI, the first animated series of this legendary franchise.
    MIFA Conference [Photo: Annecy Festival/K. Pauli]
    MIFA Conference [Photo: Annecy Festival/K. Pauli]

    While the full MIFA Conferences program will be announced soon, organizers have news to share about what the market’s partners have in store:

    • Unifrance will propose three discussions concerning the international challenges of French animation films: the emergence of a new generation of women directors, broadcasting animation film at African festivals and writing for an international audience.
    • The director of the Japan Media Arts Festival invites three directors from leading international festivals to share their visions on animation’s current intensity and its future development, in particular via other forms of art such as video games.
    • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes In Motion (AIM) will bring together the Artefacts (video games) and Albyon (animation, VFX and VR) studios to present an overview of the creative and technical opportunities possible between the video game and animation sectors. Session followed by a live Q&A.
    • ALICE (Animation League for Increased Cooperation in Europe) will present their interregional cooperation methodology aimed at developing a new, more collaborative, model so that SMEs can expand, recruit and innovate. Session followed by a live Q&A.
    Demo Session, real-time animation with Unity [Photo: Annecy Festival/F. Blin]
    Demo Session, real-time animation with Unity [Photo: Annecy Festival/F. Blin]

    Demo Sessions are dedicated to experimental presentations and inspire viewers to do something new with six virtual technological and creative showcases:

    • Aquarium by Fatfish Lab, the 100% nodal, cross-production and totally flexible project management tool that adapts to your needs.
    • The latest Unity tools bring speed, limitless creativity and iterations to animators and producers. Get a close look at Mich-L, made entirely with the new (beta) Cinematic Tools feature set.
    • Xencelabs will provide an insight into their products’ capabilities thanks to their new pen tablet and Quick Keys remote control, a real game-changer for creatives.
    • A demonstration by Next Lab of the potential of the VR, AR and MR tools and video game render engines for animation prototyping, production and visual effects.
    • Wacom will explore how the South African film Troll Girl was made, drawn and animated with a Blender Grease Pencil.
    • Archipel Market and Archipel Content, two complementary solutions developed by Cascade8, the tech branch of the Logical Pictures Group.

    www.annecy.org

  • KRAFTON Expands ‘The Bird That Drinks Tears’ into Multimedia Franchise

    KRAFTON Expands ‘The Bird That Drinks Tears’ into Multimedia Franchise

    KRAFTON, Inc. — the indie game development collective behind PUBG — today announced Project Windless, the company’s plans to develop a game and larger multimedia franchise based on the Korean fantasy novel The Bird That Drinks Tears. The announcement represents the evolution of KRAFTON’s vision of expanding original intellectual property into larger entertainment properties.

    The Bird That Drinks Tears is a novel series that was created and written by Yeong-do Lee, who is widely acknowledged as the pioneer of the Korean fantasy genre. As one of the best-selling fantasy authors in Korea with millions of copies sold, Lee is an exceptionally imaginative writer who builds elaborate worlds and fills them with complex characters.

    To help visualize the universe, KRAFTON has recruited Hollywood talent and concept artist Iain McCaig to further bring the novel to life. McCaig is a renowned concept artist who has been involved in early character visualizations for Star Wars characters, in addition to his work on many other blockbuster film franchises, such as The Avengers, Harry Potter and Terminator. His creative work will serve as the foundation and cornerstone of KRAFTON’s Project Windless, which encompasses the game and other creative works.

    [the bird that drinks tears – concept art] Concept artwork by Iain McCaig

    “KRAFTON has found something special in Yeong-do Lee’s The Bird That Drinks Tears. I am honored to help visualize this amazing world and its characters, in addition to helping introduce the novel to a larger global audience,” said McCaig. “The collaboration with KRAFTON is among the best I have ever experienced. I look forward to our further adventures, and to making Yeong-do Lee proud.”

    Lee commented, “I hope KRAFTON can make a game that can be remade even after 30 years. I wish everyone involved all the best.”

    KRAFTON, Inc. currently consists of PUBG Studio, Striking Distance Studios, Bluehole Studio and RisingWings. For more information, visit www.krafton.com.

    The Bird That Drinks Tears [Concept artwork by Iain McCaig]
    The Bird That Drinks Tears [Concept artwork by Iain McCaig]
  • School on Wheels, CBS Leadership Pipeline Launch ‘To the Letter’

    School on Wheels, CBS Leadership Pipeline Launch ‘To the Letter’

    School on Wheels has released a new animated short To the Letter, created by participants of the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge. The animated short film is streaming on YouTube and CBS.com.

    To the Letter follows a young unhoused student as she attempts to learn how to read. Letters and words escape her into the cloudy darkness of her frustration, until her tutor breaks through and braves the storm with her. The film is inspired by the School on Wheels ABC Literacy Program, which is designed to help unhoused students in kindergarten through third grade catch up to their grade level in literacy and develop a love of reading.

    The animated short features original music composed by Dhruv Goel, using the soundscape of Skid Row. “It’s a sound and feeling you can’t design,” said Goel. “With the help of community leaders, we were able to access the Union Rescue Mission, where we recorded various sounds and textures while observing young children living and playing in the environment. Their innocence juxtaposed with their reality was a rhythm that I needed to witness to do justice for this story.”

    Nirav Bhakta, director of To the Letter, noted, “One out of 20 children in Los Angeles are unhoused. With the children nine times likely to fail a grade and four times likely to drop out, the educational and mentorship programs offered at School on Wheels are integral in helping to break the cycle of homelessness. With a team of eight animators across the world, we were able to come together virtually amidst the racial, political and health pandemics in our world and create a story with passion and social impact to honor the students of School on Wheels.”

    To the Letter
    To the Letter

    “School on Wheels was thrilled to be chosen as a participant in the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge,” said Sinead Chilton, Chief Development & Marketing Officer of School on Wheels. “Everyone involved has been so invested in telling the story of our students and helping to promote the work we do with children experiencing homelessness. We were moved by the idea of telling the story of a student struggling to read through the power of animation as it could lift our kids out of Skid Row, and literally, the sky was the limit!”

    To the Letter is directed/written by Bhakta, casted by Maddalena Zuppetta, co-written by David Aguilar, composed by Goel, edited by Mario Torres Torres and produced by Lauren Robinson, Rachel Hanley and Bhavani Rao. Maya Alvarez serves as the Executive Producer. The film is animated by Carlos Velez, Megan Lucas, Chris Culpepper, Nguyet Nghi Duong, Rakshit Srivastava and Chantal Paz. The animation team is led by award-winning animator and VFX artist Chun Chun Chang.

    To the Letter
    To the Letter

    The CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge is a social impact-focused short film competition aimed at empowering assistants to step into creative leadership positions. Junior-level employees within CBS Studios and CBS joined forces with early-career storytellers nominated by Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment, National Hispanic Media Coalition, Easterseals Disability Film Challenge and Casting Society Cares Training & Education to create three short films that align with the missions of local nonprofits School on Wheels, SafeBAE and Homeboy Industries in an effort to win donations towards the nonprofits. CBS.com

    School on Wheels, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 by Agnes Stevens, a retired teacher. Today, hundreds of volunteers work one-on-one with children whose homelessness prevents them from receiving the academic stability and help they desperately need. The mission of School on Wheels is to enhance educational opportunities for homeless children from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The goal is to shrink the gaps in their education and provide them with the highest level of education possible. The program spans six counties in Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura, as well as a learning center in Skid Row. schoolonwheels.org

    To the Letter
    To the Letter
  • News Bytes: ‘Luca’ VIEW Panel, TV Craft BAFTAs, Voice of Sebastian Dies & More

    News Bytes: ‘Luca’ VIEW Panel, TV Craft BAFTAs, Voice of Sebastian Dies & More

    VIEW Conference Presents ‘Luca’ Director Enrico Casarosa & Creative Team
    The Italian confab’s next free, exclusive online session will also feature producer Andrea Warren, production designer Daniela Strijileva, character designer Deanna Marsigliese, supervising TD David Ryu and director of photography Kim White in conversation with Animation Magazine Editor-in-Chief Ramin Zahed. Presented in partnership with OGR and Pixar Animation Studios, the panel will stream Monday, June 21 at 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. UK / 19h CET.

    His Dark Materials
    His Dark Materials

    BAFTA Announces Winners of the 2021 Television Craft Awards
    His Dark Materials scored the Special, Visual & Graphic Effects prize for Russell Dodgson, James Whitlam, Jean-Clement Soret, Robert Harrington, Dan May and Brian Fisher (Bad Wolf/BBC One), winning out over The Crown, War of the Worlds and Cursed. The Titles & Graphic Identity award went to Nic Benns & Miki Kato for Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia (A RAW and Brillstein Ent. Partners Production/Netflix). The TV Craft Awards will be followed by the Virgin Media BAFTA Television Awards on June 6. Find the full list of nominees and winners here.

    Samuel E. Wright
    Samuel E. Wright

    Samuel E. Wright Dies: ‘The Little Mermaid’s Sebastian the Crab, Broadway’s Mufasa Was 74
    The voice star of the beloved Disney animated feature who performed the Oscar-winning song “Under the Sea” died May 24 at home in Walden, NY of prostate cancer. His passing was announced on Facebook:

    “Sam was an inspiration to us all and along with his family established the Hudson Valley Conservatory. Sam and his family have impacted countless Hudson Valley youth always inspiring them to reach higher and dig deeper to become the best version of themselves. On top of his passion for the arts and his love for his family, Sam was most known for walking into a room and simply providing PURE JOY to those he interacted with. He loved to entertain, he loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love.”

    Animation Studio Writer Alleges Firing Tied to Sexual Harassment Complaints
    The plaintiff “Jane Doe” filed suit in the Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday against Thunderbolt Pictures, its related company Gas Money Pictures (Everyone Loves Bettie Page, Little Blue) and CEO James L. Bills, alleging sexual battery and assault, gender violence, sexual harassment, discrimination, failure to prevent discrimination and harassment, negligence and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and that her complaints against these behaviors led ot her firing in 2020 from the Burbank animation studio. The studio had not commented at the time City News Service filed its story.

    Eden
    Eden

    ‘Eden’ OST from Milan Records Releases May 28
    Eden (Music from the Netflix Original Anime Series) by composer Kevin Penking (Tower of God, Made in Abyss, Florence) is available for pre-order now. The new original anime, premiering Thursday, May 27, is created by Justin Leach (Ghost in the Shell 2), directed by Yasuhiro Irie (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) follows the last remaining human girl as she navigates an unfamiliar robot-inhabited world. Check out the show’s website and preview the soundtrack with the single “Penrose Steps, A.I. Bloom.”

    “Eden is one of those projects that I will cherish forever. The love put into this project not only from the team, but also the musicians, is humbling,” said Penkin. “Being able to work with people who gave so much trust in the direction of the music is something I will forever cherish. Please enjoy the unique world of Eden, as we combine the unique worlds of a 3D-printed 6-string violin, female voices and electro-acoustic sound-sources. We have tried to put our best foot forward to honor the amazing work of this team.”

    Total Dramarama
    Total Dramarama

    TV & Streaming Deals:

    • Coolabi Group has launched its award-winning preschool reboot Clangers (S1 & 2, 78 eps.) across 10 major VOD channels in China through partner Fantawild. Young viewers can now stream the series on iQiyi, Tencent Video, Youku, Mango TV, NewTV, BesTV, GITV, Sino Media and Prosee. The launch is supported by a promo push across WeChat, Wibo and TikTok.
    • CAKE has secured key sales for Fresh TV‘s Total Dramarama, which will premiere its third season (introducing aged-down Sugar and Lightning) on Cartoon Network U.S. and Teletoon in Canada in mid-2021, totting up an episode total of 156. New partners for S2 & 3 are Warner Media (German-speaking territories, Benelux, Easter Europe, APAC, LatAm), Pop TV (U.K.), Super 3 (Spain), K2 and DeAKids (Italy). Canal+ France and ABC Australia have also snagged S2.
    • Atem Ent. and Magikbee have teamed up to launch E.T. kids’ comedy Space Yoghurt on the KidsBeeTV
    • Animaccord has strengthened its long-term partnership with Mexico’s Televisa with a package deal for existing and upcoming Masha and the Bear In addition to S1-3 and spin-offs Masha’s Tales, Masha’s Spooky Stories and Masha’s Songs, the network has picked up S5 in 4K and the new Nursery Rhymes educational/musical project.
    Kids Kino Industry
    Kids Kino Industry

    Event Updates & Calls for Entries:

    • Bay Area Intl’ Children’s Film Festival will hold its 13th annual edition virtually under the theme “A Playdate for the Imagination,” featuring a special screening and director’s talk for Shooom’s Odyssey. July 22-25, 2021.
    • Ottawa Int’l Animation Festival issues its final call for the 2021 competition (online, Sept. 22-Oct. 3). Submission is free – deadline May 31, 2021. Canadian creators are also invited to submit their animated series concepts to Pitch THIS! 2021 by June 15.
    • Festival Stop Motion Montréal hybrid festival (Sept. 10-19) seeks films under 30 minutes. Submission is free – deadline July 2, 2021.
    • Kids Kino Industry professionals section of the Kids Kino Int’l Film Festival (online & in Warsaw Sept. 28-Oct 1) seeks submissions of feature-length films and series for young audiences for in development, work in progress or market presentation pitches. Submission is free – deadline May 31, 2021.
    • CINANIMA Portugal’s Oscar-qualifying film fest (Nov. 8-14) seeks animated shorts. Submission is free – deadlines are May 31, 2021 (Int’l & Nat’l competitions) / June 25, 2021 (Student Films)
  • ‘Garbage Pail Kids’ Animated Series in Development at HBO Max

    ‘Garbage Pail Kids’ Animated Series in Development at HBO Max

    The gag-inducing gags of 1980s sticker card fad Garbage Pail Kids are getting an animated series makeover, now in development for HBO Max with brand owner Topps, Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company (BoJack Horseman, Undone, Tuca & Bertie) and Danny McBride’s Rough House Pictures (Chozen).

    The family-friendly project is spurred by McBride (voice of dad Rick in The Mitchells vs. the Machines) and prodco partner David Gordon Green’s love for the gross-out comedy cards and classic Saturday morning cartoons. McBride, Green and Josh Bycel (Solar Opposites) are writers, co-creators and exec producers on the streaming series. Noel Bright and Steven A. Cohen for Tornante TV and Rough House’s Brandon James are also exec producers.

    A send-up of the cute and cuddly Cabbage Patch Kids, baseball card company Topps launched the Garbage Pail Kids in 1985, creating a subversive pop culture phenomenon fueled by snot, pus, flatulence and puns. The collectible characters continue to command a fanbase, with Topps launching a 35th anniversary line of digital GPK cards on WAX Blockchain last year.

    A live-action/puppetry Garbage Pail Kids movie in 1987 earned $1.576 million at the box office on a million-dollar budget and holds a remarkable 0% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Tornante announced a feature remake was in the works in 2012, to be directed by Oscar nominated animator PES and expected to be produced with CGI, but that project is no longer in development.

    [Source: The Hollywood Reporter]

  • ‘Dabangg – The Animated Series’ Debuts on Cartoon Network India Monday

    ‘Dabangg – The Animated Series’ Debuts on Cartoon Network India Monday

    Cartoon Network will introduce its fans in India to its latest action-comedy Dabangg – The Animated Series, airing every day at 12 p.m. beginning Monday, May 31. The series (104 half-hours) stars the fearless super-cop Chulbul Pandey (played by Salman Khan) and is one of the first animated series to retain the original version of a popular Bollywood character, rather than reimagine the star as a kid.

    The WarnerMedia and Cosmos-Maya collaboration follows on from the resounding success of other homegrown comedies Titoo – Har Jawaab Ka Sawaal Hu and Lambu-G Tingu-G on companion channel POGO.

    “Both kids and their families are just going to love this! Our new animated action-comedy is just so much fun and stars the character Chulbul Pandey – the quirkiest cop in town,” said Abhishek Dutta, South Asia Network Head, Cartoon Network & POGO. “It’s been great to work with Cosmos-Maya for yet another highly-promising project.”

    Arbaaz Khan, Bollywood actor and producer of the Dabangg film franchise, added, “We are thrilled to work with Cartoon Network and Cosmos-Maya to bring kids their favorite action-packed Bollywood franchise in an animated avatar. It has been a fun ride to create new narratives with Chulbul Pandey, who the country has come to know and love. We cannot wait for little fans and their parents to meet the animated version of the quirky and amazing Chulbul Pandey on Cartoon Network!”

  • Prime Picks Up French Animation Hit ‘Don’t Die Dumb’

    Prime Picks Up French Animation Hit ‘Don’t Die Dumb’

    Prime Entertainment Group, international producer and distributor, announces the acquisition of French animation series Don’t Die Dumb (100 x 3′), as part of its push to diversity ifs collection of programs with a new high-quality animation catalog from award-winning studios.

    Don’t Die Dumb is produced by Folimage, a French animation studio founded in 1981 that produces TV series, short films and feature films. The studio has met tremendous successes over the years, earning a Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination for its feature film A Cat in Paris. Most recently, its TV special Vanille, a Caribbean Tale (also distributed by Prime), won the Grand Prize for Best Animated Short and Audience Award at the 2021 New York International Children’s Film Festival.

    The series has been phenomenally well received, attracting a significant number of viewers, with the episodes accumulating 76,612,629 views across all networks. The show is a hit on Franco-German channel Arte, with audience peaks of over a million viewers, sometimes even reaching 1.3 million.

    “We are very excited to add Don’t Die Dumb to our animation catalog,” said Alexandra Marguerite, Prime’s Head of Sales. “Thanks to this new outstanding series we continue to strengthen our ties with partners in search of high quality animation programs and establish Prime’s presence in the animation market.”

    Don’t Die Dumb deals with science and existential reflections on nature and the human body with a good dose of dark humor. In each episode, Professor Moustache and his assistant fear no taboos as they explain the great mysteries of the world. An instructive and mischievous show that appeals to those who like sharp humor and science accuracy.

    The acquisition follows Prime’s recent announcement that it has created a 4K UHD remaster of Sylvain Chomet’s Oscar-nominated animated feature The Triplets of Belleville.

  • RTX at Home Animation Festival Brings Creators & Talent to Fans in July

    RTX at Home Animation Festival Brings Creators & Talent to Fans in July

    RTX at Home, a virtual Rooster Teeth event taking place July 8-17, is thrilled to announce the RTX at Home Animation Festival panel lineup. The Festival brings fans together from across the globe to celebrate the coolest and most beloved animation today.

    Last year, RTX at Home garnered over 1.7 million views on RTX content across Rooster Teeth apps and social media. The schedule announced today brings together creators, writers, producers, talent and personalities from some of the most beloved animated Rooster Teeth shows to share exclusive reveals from their series, announcements and more. RTX at Home Animation Festival will stream live on RoosterTeeth.com and Rooster Teeth apps.

    RTX at Home Animation Festival programming schedule:

    RWBY | July 9, 12:00 PM CT | Join the cast and crew for exclusive sneak peeks at Volume 9 and first looks at products from the expanding RWBY universe! Writers and directors Kerry Shawcross, Eddy Rivas and Miles Luna are accompanied by supervising producer Laura Yates and lead voice actresses Lindsay Jones (Ruby Rose), Kara Eberle (Weiss Schnee), Arryn Zech (Blake Belladonna) and Barbara Dunkelman (Yang Xiao Long).

    WEBTOON: Webcomic to Animation | July 9, 4:00 PM CT | Join Rooster Teeth’s animation team as they speak with WEBTOON’s Annie LaHue about the challenges of bringing a webcomic to life, creative adaptations, the animation pipeline, and what it takes to tell a great story.

    The Animated Adventures Panel of Adventure | July 10, 12:00 PM CT | Do you like animated adventures? We do, too, so join us as we talk about everything RTAA, Achievement Hunter Animated and Face Jam Animated! Or, we might just talk about other things. Honestly, we’re just here for a good time.

    From Art to Story: Story Artists in Animation | July 10, 1:00 PM CT | Moderated by Rooster Teeth Animation Director Yssa Badiola, this panel brings together creators and industry professionals to talk about the art and science behind animation: Elizabeth Ito, creator of City of Ghosts on Netflix, Emi Yonemura, director and board artist for Crunchyroll Original series Onyx Equinox, and Dan Duncan, Supervising Director on Rooster Teeth’s gen:LOCK, premiering Season 2 on HBO Max.

    Neon Konbini | July 11, 2:00 PM CT | The minds behind Rooster Teeth’s new anthology series Neon Konbini come together for the first time ever to talk about making the show. From the re-dubbed anime STAR Bursters to the show about a coffee bean finding his place in the world, the gang dives deep into the creative process and everything in between.

    RWBY Beyond | July 12, 1:00 PM CT | Join us for an exciting, jam-packed panel full of news about upcoming RWBY partnerships and products, including our upcoming video game from WayForward, the next book from Scholastic, new toys/collectibles, and more fun surprises! You won’t want to miss all the amazing reveals we have in store for fans, both new and old!

    Women in Animation | July 12, 3:00 PM CT | Women in Animation (WIA) is a non-profit organization that strives to support and promote female animators. Join some amazing industry-creative female leaders and members of WIA as they share their experiences which have allowed them to become writers and directors of their own animation content.

    RTX Virtual Cosplay Contest | July 12, 4:00 PM CT | Join us as this year’s judges present both cosplay finalists and winners for Best Re-Creation, Best Original Design, Best Workmanship, Best Prop Skills, and the Overall 2021 Winner.

    Red vs. Blue: Zero | July 13, 1:00 PM CT | The cast and crew will discuss the show’s future and give you a sneak peek at what’s next!

    The Ship-it Show LIVE | July 13, 4:00 PM CT | Come aboard our Love Boat! Tara Strong & Greg Cipes host fellow actors, writers, creators, artists and cosplayers to celebrate shipping. For this panel, they are joined by Eric Bauza, known for his Looney Tunes voice actor work. Let’s geek out together in a place where nobody is weird because everybody is weird.

    A Decade of Death Battle | July 15, 2:00 PM CT | IT’S TIME FOR DEATH BATTLE PANEL! Join Wiz and Boomstick as we look back on the past 10 years of DEATH BATTLE, delve deeper with the creators of your favorite match-ups, and get a look at what’s to come!

    Recreyo LIVE | July 16, 3:00 PM CT | A group of friends gets thrown into different worlds to make bad decisions, but this time it’s live. It’s DnD without the dice.

    Essential to the RTX experience, Rooster Teeth is offering more ways to connect with its talent this year. Meet & Greet tickets are now available for community members to experience a two-minute, one-on-one video chat with their favorite Rooster Teeth personality. Additionally, Personalized Video Recordings are also now available for purchase. Receive a special message from select Rooster Teeth staff or get one as a unique surprise gift for a friend.

    Tickets are now available for Rooster Teeth FIRST members at events.loopedlive.com/rtx and will become available to the general public on May 29, at 11:00 AM CT.

    RTX at Home will invite the worldwide Rooster Teeth fandom to watch panels, catch exclusive reveals from their favorite series and join in on virtual events that will bring fans together from around the world to celebrate their love of all things Rooster Teeth. RTX at Home will stream live on RoosterTeeth.com and the Rooster Teeth apps, with all of the panel programming available at no charge.

    Stay in the loop with updates from RTX at Home by RSVPing at https://rtxevent.com/rsvp.

  • Pre-K Short-Form ‘The Beatbuds, Let’s Jam!’ Ready to Rock on Nickelodeon

    Pre-K Short-Form ‘The Beatbuds, Let’s Jam!’ Ready to Rock on Nickelodeon

    Preschoolers will get ready to rock with Nickelodeon’s brand-new animated series The BeatBuds, Let’s Jam! (formerly The BeatBuds), based on the popular kids’ music duo and premiering Monday, June 7 at 9 a.m. (ET/PT). Co-produced by Scooter Braun’s SB Projects in association with Cyber Group Studios, the short-form series (10 episodes) follows the musical adventures of Jonny and Matty, and features an original song in each episode.

    New episodes of The BeatBuds, Let’s Jam! will air daily through Friday, June 11 at 9 a.m. (ET/PT), on Nickelodeon as part of a “Nick Jr. Beat Bash” week-long programming event featuring music-themed episodes of hit series, including PAW Patrol, Blue’s Clues & You! and Baby Shark’s Big Show!

    The BeatBuds, Let’s Jam! will also air daily June 7-11 at 6 p.m. (ET/PT) on the Nick Jr. channel and be available on the Nick Jr. YouTube channels. The series will begin rolling out on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. channels internationally in July. Following the premiere, the series will be available on Nick Jr. On Demand and Download-To-Own services, NickJr.com and the Nick Jr. App.

    The Beatbuds, Let's Jam!
    The Beatbuds, Let’s Jam!

    In The BeatBuds, Let’s Jam!, rock ‘n’ roll duo and best friends Jonny and Matty, a.k.a. The BeatBuds, are traveling to their big concert, The BeatBASH. As they journey to the show in The Beat Bus, they have awesome fun-filled experiences making new friends and performing their songs with everyone and everything they encounter.

    In the series premiere, “Hello BeatBuddies/The Silly Monkey,” Jonny and Matty are on their way to The BeatBASH when they get pulled into space by a friendly alien named Greeny, and must introduce themselves through the song “Hello BeatBuddies.” Then, The BeatBuds’ practice gets a monkey wrench thrown in it when they can’t find their instruments. They discover a Silly Monkey took their gear and are led on a wild monkey chase as they sing “The Silly Monkey.”

    The Beatbuds, Let's Jam!
    The Beatbuds, Let’s Jam!

    The BeatBuds, Let’s Jam! is written by Evan Sinclair (Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, The Aquabats! Super Show!) and executive produced by Mark Salisbury (Bubble Guppies, Butterbean’s Café), Anttu Harlin and Joonas Utti (Yellow Yeti) for Gigglebug Entertainment, which served as the animation studio. The BeatBuds, Jonathan Jonah and Matthew Shapiro, also serve as executive producers on the series along with Scooter Braun and Scott Manson on behalf of SB Projects and Cyber Group Studios. Production for Nickelodeon is overseen by Eryk Casemiro, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Preschool.

    The Beatbuds, Let's Jam!
    The Beatbuds, Let’s Jam!